Weightlifters under spotlight after drug tests

Australia's weightlifting team for the Commonwealth Games is in disarray after five hopefuls tested positive for drugs.

Two female weightlifters who are competing at this week's selection trials in Melbourne have returned recent positive tests, while 2002 Commonwealth Games silver medallist Corran Hocking has been "provisionally suspended" for his own positive test.

Two other unnamed male weightlifters are currently under investigation after testing positive.

Selectors will not be able to finalise their team until all the athletes' cases are heard early next year.

Hocking is the only one of the five to be named so far, and faces a possible two-year ban after returning a positive test during an international competition in Melbourne in October.

Australian Weightlifting Federation (AWF) high-performance manager Peter Cayley said Hocking could still appeal against the suspension.

"It's now up to Corran to decide exactly what he wants to do to exercise his rights under the anti-doping policy," Mr Cayley said."That doesn't mean that the selectors couldn't consider him for selection if the appeals process is successful.

"He could still compete in the Commonwealth Games if the finding was overturned - either the B sample proved to be not positive or alternatively he was successful in an appeal."

The AWF knows which athletes have tested positive but has not yet been officially notified by the Australian Sports Drug Agency.

Meanwhile head selector Ralph Cashman said the Court of Arbitration for Sport had allowed the two female athletes to compete at this weekend's trials because they needed a final opportunity to qualify for the team.

"Until such time as there's definite evidence that these people are guilty, they have to be given every opportunity to still compete," he said.